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EPA gives Brisbane Narnia bid the thumbs up

Daniel Hurst | February 26, 2009

The Environmental Protection Agency has thrown its support
behind plans to use Moreton Bay as a major film set for the next
Chronicles of Narnia movie.

Redland City Council last night also backed the proposal, which
would involve building a pier off Cleveland Point, south-east of
Brisbane, and anchoring a barge in the bay as the site of a
40-metre-long film set ship.

Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media have considered using
Cleveland Point or Wellington Point to film some of the scenes for
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn
Treader.

Pacific Film and Television Commission spokeswoman Kylie
Rathborne confirmed film-makers were interested in a number of
sites, including Cleveland Point or Wellington Point in Redland
City, but they were still looking at a broad range of
locations.

Late yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed it
had met with the film-makers last week to discuss the approval
process and the agency supported plans to use Cleveland Point.

"This project would make a significant contribution to the
Queensland economy and the EPA supports the chosen location for the
filming on the basis that the potential environmental issues can be
readily managed using legislation and permitting processes
administered by the EPA," a spokesperson said.

Environmental permit conditions would ban the film-makers from
contaminating the bay, harming marine life and disturbing coral and
rocky reef habitats.

Film-makers and authorities will discuss how to manage public
access to the bay during filming.

Redland councillors last night voted to approve filming of
The Voyage of The Dawn Treader in the area.

Cleveland councillor Craig Ogilvie said discussions were still
in their early stages but it would be "fantastic" to host a major
film production locally.

Most people would be prepared to suffer minor inconveniences
such as lack of access to Cleveland Point for a few weeks and extra
traffic caused by the film crews, he said.

"It's a short time, I think the locals will appreciate the
novelty of it," Cr Ogilvie said.

Some people might even have the opportunity to become an extra
in the movie.